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Against Long Odds, Fans Still Wait for Jeter

You could say they’re die-hard fans. Dedicated collectors. Addicted to the chase.

You could also say they’re crazy.

Every day, a big line of adults and a few kids wait for Derek Jeter to finish his morning workout in his hometown of Tampa. He won’t report to spring training for quite a few more days. Some of those in line have been waiting for hours.

For an autograph they can buy online for a few hundred dollars.

But it isn’t the same.

So wait they do, trying to obey the orders of a security guard who seems hell bent on humiliating them for what they’re trying to do.

The odds that the Yankees’ long-time captain and most popular player since Mickey Mantle will stop and accommodate them all with a quick signature are pretty long. The odds that he’ll stop and sign a few are less than 50/50.

About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected].